Stop me if this sounds familiar: You go to the gym to get your morning workout in, and while you’re looking fit after a good cardio session, you also feel ridiculous in your year 9 basketball shorts and beat-up trainers.  Since you take your body seriously, isn’t it time you take your workout gear seriously too?  Lace up your Adidas trainers – we’re teaching you how to exercise your right to be stylish.

Shopaholics’s 5 tips for toning your workout wardrobe:

• Keep it simple. Leave your neon pants and Ed Hardy prints at home.  Instead, keep things low key and focus on a few essential pieces: a clean, breathable tee, some nice exercise trousers, and a stylish yet functional duffle bag for carrying your stuff.
• Mix and match labels. I love my Adidas hoodie cotton sweatshirt, but you wouldn’t catch me wearing it with matching Adidas trousers and trainers.  The key is to look cool and casual, not like a member of a team (or worse, like the guy who just bought all-new gym clothes).  Try throwing on an Umbro England jacket over some Nike trousers and your trusty Asics for a laid-back look that says you’ve done this before.
• Kick the gimmicks. Remember those Nike Shox trainers that were all the rage several years back?  Turns out they were terrible for your feet.  Avoid marketing ploys and keep your feet firmly on the ground by investing in a quality pair of trainers from established running brands like Asics and New Balance.  They may not attract as many comments as Reebok’s new ridiculous ZigTechs, but your feet will thank you later.
• Sculpt your shorts, not just your abs. Baggy basketball shorts are a thing of the past, not to mention completely unflattering.  Choose shorts that hits just at or above the knee.  Not only will these make you look better, but they’re less likely to get caught in weight machines as well.
• Get a new tee. Your old university t-shirt may be have seen you through your dorm’s football final, but there’s a reason pros prefer the high tech stuff.  Head to your nearest Nike outlet store and stock up on highly-breathable Dri-FIT shirts.  The Dri-FIT material is made to wick away moisture as you sweat, keeping you cool and comfortable even during the most intense of workouts.

What’s your favourite brand of workout gear?  We want to hear about it in the comments below.

Did you know?

Dri-FIT clothing should always be air dried, as an electric dryer can compromise the effectiveness of the moisture-wicking material.

-Jeff O.

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